Grayslake Summer Days returns Friday and Saturday
Downtown Grayslake will be rocking Friday and Saturday with the return of a summer staple.
Grayslake Summer Days 2012 will be around village hall at Seymour Avenue and Center Street, west of Route 83. Event Chairman Greg Koeppen says Summer Days is designed to appeal to anyone from 8 to 80 years old with a variety of carnival games, bingo, food, music, business booths and general family entertainment.
Friday’s action begins at 5 p.m. with carnival games, food booths and other attractions. Bingo will run from 7 to 10 p.m.
Modern Day Romeos will be the featured band at 10 p.m. Friday.
Saturday will start rolling at 10 a.m. with a seven-hour craft show. The carnival games and food booths will open at 11 a.m.
Other Saturday highlights include a pet-and-bicycle parade that’ll line up at noon on Slusser Street, bingo starting at 3 p.m. and the Grayslake Kiwanis Club “Kiss the Pig” contest at 5 p.m.
Summer Days has a twist on its second day that’s not common among suburban festivals: a parade. At 7 p.m. Saturday, the Summer Days parade will begin with the theme of “Just Having Fun in Grayslake.” It’ll launch at Grayslake Central High School on Lake Street, move south to Center Street and then proceed east to the festival at Seymour Avenue and Center Street.
Koeppen said it’s believed Summer Days has the only night parade in Lake County. He said he made the change several years ago in what turned out to be a successful attempt to boost attendance.
Capping the day will be the band 7th Heaven on the main stage at 10 p.m.